on hold Of Cat's Claws and Dragon's Wings
by GeminiNinja
Summary: Neglected by those supposed to care for me, after giving up on the life I had carved, I found myself falling asleep in a temple - far away from the place I had escaped from only to dream of a Goddess and sent on a quest well and truly out of my world...
1. Intro

**AN: Hi, GeminiNinja along with RiddlesoftheDark, and welcome to my first story that's being posted on fanfiction! May Kami be with you (can you hear the sarcasm?). **

**Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto... we are too poor and depressed for that... we can only dream. *cries* But we do own the plot line and any original characters that will appear, steal them and you will die *smiles***

**Warning: AU, follows Canon up til' the time skip. This story will contain adult themes, het, yaoi, yuri (which means girl/boy, boy/boy, and girl/girl, for all those who are dumb enough not to know that, or those oblivious to the world around them), bloodshed, gore, torture ect. And let's not forget the swearing – lots and lots of swearing thanks to Hidan. There will also be OC's, and they will not – I repeat, **_**NOT**_** be Mary Sues. It may seem like it at first, but they won't be. This will not be your typical Self Insert space/time shift story.**

**If you do not like this, then don't read it. Don't come complaining to me if you don't like any of the above. And be assured, flames will be used against you should they come my way, and they'll be hotter than Itachi's Amaterasu. **

**Enjoy...**

**Of Cat's Claws and Dragon's Wings**

_Cat's Claw and Dragon's Wing_

_The goddess sings as her words fly_

_Asleep she lay as the song is sung _

_Dreams of truth ignite times passage_

_And fates lyrics send her on a journey to define her soul's true purpose_

_Intro – A destiny to fulfil_

I stared blankly at the floor, my eyes tracing the knots in the wooden planks – so very familiar... I knew where every twist and turn was. It kept my mind blank.

I could hear them in the kitchen; they weren't exactly being discreet as they argued at the top of their lungs. I didn't even bother trying to figure out what they were fighting over. I didn't care. I'd had enough of it, hearing it happen on nearly daily basis had stretched my patience to the point of braking. Oh it broke alright. It's shattered into a million fucking pieces; and now I knew I wouldn't be able to take it anymore.

Quickly I grabbed my travelling pack and went to my closet, pulling out a pair of worn black jeans, a purple singlet, and my dad's old leather jacket, and dumped them on my bed. After that, I shoved a spare pair of jeans, two t-shirts and an extra jacket into the bag. Looking around my room, I picked out all the essentials I'd need – a hair brush, deodorant, tampons, spare underwear and socks.

Once that was done, I changed into the clothes I had dumped on my bed. I pulled on my old, black combat boots, smiling at the familiar comfort my favourite outfit gave me.

Ignoring the tears that pricked my eyes, I gave one last cursory glance at my room, my eyes lingering on my precious anime, book and CD collection. I wanted so badly to bring them with me, but I knew they would be impossible to carry. Instead, I picked up my laptop and iPod, and dumped them in my bag along with their respective chargers.

With a grunt, I hauled the pack over my shoulder. It was heavy, but I would manage.

I was leaving, and hopefully never coming back.

I snuck passed my arguing parents easily – they never noticed me anyway, so why would they now? Reaching the front door of the house, I gave a deep breath. It was now or never.

I opened it and walked out, not even looking back. I walked as quickly as my feet could carry me until I reached the end of the street, before breaking out in a run. I ran for as long as I could until I was halfway to my favourite haunt – the old, deserted temple.

When I reached the temple it was dark, the moon having already risen and casting its luminous glow on the foliage that flashed passed as I jogged exhaustedly into the entrance.

The temple was old – really old, probably having been built by some of the early Japanese settlers. It was beautifully constructed, even being half destroyed. The red wooden poles and twisted statues of demons and gods could easily be seen in the moon's light.

I slowed to a walk, looking around with weary eyes as I walked down the cleared stone path, taking in the statues. There were nine of them in total; each about as large as a tiger or some other such wild cat.

The first was what appeared to be a racoon dog, its tail raised in a threatening manner, its maw open in a silent raw. On its pedestal was the kanji for 'Ichibi no Tanuki'.

The second was a cat – crouched down, ready to spring with its two tails raised behind it for balance. Its pedestal said 'Nibi no Nekomata'.

The animals continued like that, each of them gaining more tails and getting much stranger in appearance, until I reached the last one.

The snarling fox started back at me, lips pulled back over sharp, pointed teeth, its nine tails spread out behind it like some sort of demented halo.

The Kyuubi no Kitsune.

With a sigh, I walked past it and into the temple. If I wouldn't have known better I'd say the temple was built by a committee of crazed Naruto fans. But I knew it wasn't possible – this place was far too old for that.

The Interior of the temple was smaller than it appeared on the outside. But then again, that might be because of all the broken statues and tapestries that littered the floor and walls. In the centre of the room there was an altar, surprisingly untouched and clean, dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu, and her brother gods, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo. That's where I headed and set my bag down, curling into a little ball and clenching my eyes shut.

I didn't know where I was going to go, there were no friends I could stay with, no relatives. I had no one.

But I decided not to dwell on it. I rummaged through my heavy pack and pulled out my iPod and headphones, turned it on, and let the music lull me into a doze. In the darkness of the deserted temple, under the altar of the three gods with music blocking out all thought, I fell asleep.

oOoOoOoOoOo

It was a weird dream, I decided, staring around at the white that surrounded me. Weird, but peaceful. And safe.

It was also warm. I closed my eyes and sighed, letting myself float in the apparent white nothingness.

"_You seem at peace my child." _I heard a soft, musical voice murmur.

Startled, I opened my eyes and turned my body in the direction of the voice, disbelief roaring through my mind at what I saw. A woman stood before me, a kind and warm smile on her painted red lips. Black hair pulled in an intricate bun, pale skin, black eyes; the woman was the complete epitome of beauty. She wore a golden kimono, covered in intricate red an orange flowers, butterflies and suns.

"Who are you?" I whispered, taking a weary step back.

Her smile fell and she looked at me with sad eyes as she said, _"You do not need to ask child, for you already know._" Her eyes softened. _"But you may call me Mother." _

That was true – I already knew who she was, there was no need to ask, because before me stood a woman who was the exact mirror image of the statue of Amaterasu that stood upon on the altar I had fallen asleep before.

That's right; I was asleep, this had to be a dream. There was no way in hell this was real. Merely hallucinations brought on by physical and emotional exhaustion. A dream. Nothing more.

Amaterasu took a step towards me, and I took another back.

"_Has your life been so dark that you do not know how to trust anymore?"_ She asked sadly, tears in her eyes.

I shook my head, "Dark? No, I love the dark. And why should I trust someone in a dream? Particularly someone who's asked me to call them 'Mother'. I've already had one mother in my life, and she ignored me at every turn, never even deigning to give me a single 'I love you'. So tell me,_ goddess Amaterasu_, why should I listen to a single thing you say?"

Her tears spilled over and before I knew it, her arms were around me and I was pressed against her rather... amble bosom in a warm embrace.

"_I am so sorry,"_ She murmured, ignoring my stiff posture as she ran her hand through my thick, curly hair. _"I'm so sorry that you have had to live a life so horrible and loveless. If only I had been allowed to interfere..."_

Gradually, I began to relax in the embrace, and I closed my eyes. It had been awhile since I had felt so... content. I had never been embraced like this before; I'd never really had any kind touch before. But I felt I could get used to them. This, is what I imagined, is what a true mother's embrace would feel like.

All too soon the goddess pulled away and cupped my cheeks in both hands, bending down to look me in the eye. It was then I realized that she was taller than me, which in truth was not very hard to accomplish. I felt the loss of warmth immediately, and struggled not to bury myself back into a hug.

"_My dragon,"_ Amaterasu said in her powerful, musical voice. "_Do you know why you're here?"_

I looked at her quizzically, "Why I'm here? This is a dream."

She laughed, and I was struck by how clear it sounded, how pure, like the ringing of bells. "_Oh child,"_ she chuckled, her eyes brimming with amusement "_This is no dream. This as real as it gets, I'm afraid. You have been set a task by the gods."_

I stared at her, wide-eyed, and all I managed was to stutter out, "W-what are you talking about?"

"_You have been fated to do this. Born to. You are the only one with the power to set things right, to deter them from the paths that would only lead to destruction. And I know you can."_

"What's going on?!" I demanded, glaring at the goddess.

"_Join the Akatsuki. Save Nagato and Madara from their self destructive paths, stop that man with the false arm and eye before he destroys everything you have and ever will hold dear. It's your destiny."_ She placed a kiss on my forehead, and I felt the skin grow warm for a moment. She smiled at me, like a proud mother praising her child. _"Learn to trust again, my dragon. Learn to love. You will never be harmed again."_

Everything faded to white again, leaving me feeling thoroughly confused.

oOoOoOoOoOo

When I woke up, it was to a smoke filled sky, surrounded by battling shinobi, covered in blood with the sound of guitars and drums pounding in my ears.

_Tbc..._

**AN: Well people? Watcha think? Good or bad for the Intro? Constructive criticism is welcome. We will post the next chapter along with this, but don't expect the others unless you review... or we're in a good mood, either way. *devious giggle***

**Read and Review!**


	2. Ashes of the Innocent

**AN: Welcome to the first chapter! We hope you enjoy...**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, nor do I own Bullet for my Valentine's **_**Ashes of the Innocent**_**. We do own the plot and OC's though...**

_Chapter One – Ashes of the Innocent_

_Ashes of the innocent_

_The end for you and me_

_Darkened screams of agony_

_Are begging set me free_

_Mourning all your loved ones_

_As their bodies turn to stone_

_Violence hate and agony are what we've grown to know_

I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding almost painfully in my chest. I felt the ground beneath my feet vibrating with explosions, several of the buildings surrounding me was burning; smoke filled my lungs with every breath I took. The music pounded in my ears.

_Hold me show me_

_Bring me to my knees_

_So as the fire burns and the tables turn_

_We'll never rest in peace_

_(Rest in peace)_

It was so appropriate, I realized as I watched the destruction taking place around me. This song captures everything perfectly. People were fighting in the streets, and I didn't need to look closely to realize people were dying. I felt something wiz passed my cheek, embedding in the wall behind me, causing me to flinch and scramble into the shadows. I noticed my bag a few feet away from me and swung it onto my back. I needed to get out of here – wherever _here_ was.

_Ashes of the innocent_

_Remind me of the past_

_Taking scars of victory_

_The time has passed to fast_

_Singing broken melodies like shards of broken glass_

_Ripping through my reverie_

_These scars will never last_

A part of me realized it was extremely unwise to be running around in unknown territory with people fighting left, right and centre with my ears blocked and music vibrating around my head. I yanked the ear buds from my ears and stuffed them in the pocket of my jeans. Only then could I hear the explosions and the screams.

Where the hell was I? Or better yet, how in the hell did I get here?

I let out a startled scream when a body dropped in front of me, motionless, with blood pooling on the dirt ground beneath it.

"Well, what do we have here boys?"

I looked up as I heard the man's voice, feeling both fear and disbelief at what I saw. On the building's roof, from where the body had dropped, six men stood leering down at me. It wasn't the fact that they were covered in blood that scared me, or that they all held a variety of weapons. No, it was what they were wearing that scared me. The headbands, with the metal plates, with a sound note carved on them. I would recognize that design anywhere.

Sound shinobi.

One question was the only thing I thought at that moment – what the fuck am I doing in the Naruto world?!

The ninja that had spoken first chuckled, "another civilian getting in the way. I expected the Akatsuki to take better care of their village."

Akatsuki.

I remembered the weird dream I had, with Amaterasu.

"_Join the Akatsuki. Save Nagato and Madara from their self destructive paths, stop that man with the false arm and eye before he destroys everything you have and ever will hold dear. It's your destiny." _She had said.

It all hit me then. This was no dream – this was real.

And if I didn't get away from these Sound ninja, I was as good as dead.

In a blur, before I could even move I was surrounded. I don't know what happened next, one moment; I was standing stiffly, trying to think of a way to get out when I felt something spark within me. The next thing I knew, the ninja were writhing on the ground, twisting and screaming in pain, with blue bolts of lightning crackling over their bodies. The smell of burning flesh assailed my nose.

It felt as if electricity buzzed beneath my skin, so pleasurable and comforting I could not help the sigh that escaped my lips. I had no idea what I just did, but I felt powerful, and safe. It reminded me of when I was being hugged by Amaterasu. All too soon, I felt the electricity recede to what felt like the centre of my forehead, where it pulsed. It wasn't exactly painful, but more... uncomfortable. It left me feeling slightly tired.

"Well that was certainly impressive."

I tensed again, recognising the voice, and before I could stop myself, I opened my mouth and said, "Well, if it isn't Orochimaru's little pet plaything."

I turned to face him, the man I had recognized as Kabuto Yakushi. I knew he was Sasori's spy, and that he had no allegiance to Orochimaru, but that did not stop me from hating him. I'd always found Kabuto rather... disquieting.

He raised a silver eyebrow, "Do I know you?"

A smirk curved my lips, despite the fact that inside I was feeling doomed, "no, but I have the unfortunate pleasure of knowing you."

And I definitely wasn't making things any better by being a smart ass.

"Really?" he asked, looking intrigued. "I would keep you alive to get more information out of you, but Lord Orochimaru's orders were rather precise. No-one in this village was to be left alive."

I tensed, shifting onto the balls of my feet, ready to bolt for it. I knew I didn't stand a chance against Kabuto, even if I had this strange new power – I had no idea how to use it properly, and now was not the time to experiment with it.

But instead of bolting for it like I had planned, I found myself ducking under a kick aimed at my head. I jumped out of the way as his hand started to glow a bright blue, and he swiped at my left arm. Damn it, he's using that stupid chakra scalpel thing of his. He seriously means to kill me...

Never before had I been in a life or death situation, and here I am, having just faced – and still am facing – two of them within the past ten minutes!

I was extremely surprised that had been able to dodge Kabuto's attacks so far, and it was actually rather easy. It was like I was viewing things in slow motion, giving me time to move out of the way of every strike aimed at me. I wasn't even feeling tired, and at the speed I was moving I should have been worn out by now.

What did Amaterasu do to me?

Finally Kabuto stopped attacking me; he landed a few meters away, breathing heavily and his eyes narrowed. "You're fast," he said. "Just who are you, little girl?"

I glared at him, "I may be short but I'm not a little girl!" I'm a teenager, get it right. "And like I'd ever tell you who I am, for all I know you might be some sort of perverted stalker." One of my more... outlandish theories. "And why should I tell you? You said you were going to kill me."

He raised an eyebrow at my outburst, but before he could say anything, he froze, a look of terror crossing his face as he gazed at some point behind me. A loud snarl pierced through the air. Confused, I looked over my shoulder, only to feel myself pale.

There, only a few feet behind me, was the biggest cat I had ever seen.

Muscles rippled with strength under shining black fur. Crimson demon eyes watched me as a loud purr rumbled from its chest, its whole body seemed to hum. Almost like it was glad to see me, as if I were a long-lost friend. And then it's red gaze drifted to Kabuto behind me, and its black lips lifted into a snarl, revealing enormous, pearl-white fangs.

It took a step forward, a growl rippling through barred teeth.

My body froze. Then a wide smile stretched across my lips as I saw the look of pure, unadulterated horror on Kabuto's face – I could have sworn he pissed himself.

The cat – or more accurately, panther – seemed to smile in satisfaction. Its eyes only saw Kabuto, and not me who was slowly backing away.

Confusion seemed to have become my best friend since I came here so I was pretty much used to it. Didn't mean I liked it.

So far, the panther seemed to be on my side, and as I watched it slowly stalk towards Kabuto, who was rooted on the spot in fear, I couldn't help but notice a few, unusual things about it.

One was that it was fucking enormous, around the size of a small car. Two, as its fur was illuminated by the fire, it gleamed purple. Three, the red eyes, though animalistic, showed intelligence that would put most humans to shame. And then there was the collar around its neck, with the tiny, silver bell jingling from it.

Finally taking initiative, Kabuto came out of his fear induced daze, shot me a quick look of contemplation, and disappeared in a blur.

I stood in shock for a moment; the thought that it had all just been an illusion entered my head – and then I saw the cat was still there. It was watching me. And... Purring...

... What the hell had I just gotten myself into?!

A cold shiver went down my spine, and I had an unnerving feeling that something (not the cat) was watching me. I looked down at the ground in time to see a large shadow encompassed me. I looked up.

Big clay bird – check. Long blond hair – double check. Black cloak with red clouds – massive check. Hotness to the extreme – oh god. If there was a new word to describe this situation, than the words 'I'm fucked' have a new definition.

"Well that was interesting, un."

_Tbc..._

**AN: Ah, the wondrous event that is 'Cliff Hanger'. We're so evil; expect the next chapter within a week's time. R&R!**


	3. Introductions, Curiosity and Lust

**AN: Whoohoo! Next chapter is UP! We hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto - but we do own any characters you do not recognise. steal them and you will regret it.**

_Chapter Two – Introductions, Curiosity and Lust_

Long blond hair whipped around him, his fringe obscured half of his tanned face. One single sky-blue eye watched me with curiosity. Blood covered his Akatsuki cloak.

"Who are you?" Deidara asked with a sly smirk on his face.

I stood very still, not knowing how to answer the question. A name whispered through my mind, and before I knew it, my mouth moved and I said, "Tatsuya."

Deidara's smirk widened into a grin, and he leapt down of his giant bird, landing lightly on his feet right in front of me. I couldn't stop the flinch when he raised his hand and lightly brushed it against my cheek. He said, "Pleasure to meet you, Tatsuya, un."

My breath caught in my throat as he lowered his head so that he was looking straight into my eyes, his head tilted slightly to the left ."So where'd you come from, un?"

We were interrupted from behind by a sharp cough, causing Deidara to jump back a metre and me to turn and face the new comer. "What do you wan-?"

My draw dropped as I recognized the figure before me; tall, imposing, bronze skinned with stitches woven all over his face.

"Kakuzu," I mouthed, too terrified to speak aloud.

His glare was directed at Deidara, his strange, green eyes glowing in the fire light. "Didn't Leader-sama tell you to keep the explosions to a minimum? Do you know how much the repairs are going to cost?"

Hysterical laughter bubbled in my throat as I heard a loud, crude voice yelling, "YOU FUCKING BASTARD, KAKUZU! HOW DARE YOU LEAVE E WITH THOSE FUCKING PUNCES. THEY WERNT EVEN FUCKING WORTH KILLING! SERIOUSLY, I COULDN'T EVEN SACRIFICE THEM TO JASHIN-SAMA! DO YOU KNOW HOW PISSED HE'D BE IF I SACRIFICED THOSE FUCKING DOUCHES TO HIM?"

My smile was slowly widening and my hand crept over my mouth as a giggle burst free. Next thing I knew, I was on the ground laughing my ass off with tears rolling down my cheeks.

The whole situation seemed to hit me with the force of a ten ton brick, and I lost all control of myself. Time seemed to slow, and I wasn't aware of anyone around me, lost in laughter. But I was woken from my hysterics when black tendrils wrapped around my torso and I was lifted into the air.

A scream tore from my throat and I struggled against the strings. In frustration I yelled, "Damn it Kakuzu, let me go you money whore! Amaterasu, this wasn't in the job description!"

Everything went still, and then I found myself face to face with Kakuzu.

His lips were pressed in a thin line and his eyes bore into mine. "What did you say?" he murmured.

And then Hidan added, "she called you a money whore, you fucking idiot. Seriously, what are you, deaf? Has your age finally caught up to you?"

Kakuzu ignored Hidan and the chuckling Deidara. His eyes were narrowed on me.

"You're coming with us," he said. "Say another word and I'll sew your mouth shut."

The panther – who had been forgotten until now – let out a low, dangerous growl.

It took a step forward before Kakuzu and me, its eyes glaring at the bounty hunter. Then, to the shock of everyone there, it spoke.

"A simple suggestion, human. I'd advise you not to say that again, or act upon it, unless you want all five of your hearts destroyed."

Its voice was like a silky smooth growl, almost feminine.

I saw a flash of fear in his eyes before they narrowed in the slightest hint of anger; clearly, not many people knew of his hearts – and the fact that the threat came from a giant talking cat – that was obviously not a summon – was bound to be quiet intimidating.

He turned to Hidan – who I just realized was half naked and literally drenched in blood – and said, "gather the other Akatsuki; do a sweep of the village and kill every Sound shinobi you come across. Deidara and I will go back to the Hideout to report to Leader-sama." He looked at me, "and you're coming with us."

Hidan grumbled something under his breath and turned to leave, but he was interrupted by the silky purr of the panther, saying, "But first Tatsuya will make the jobs of Hidan-kun and the others a little... easier."

Confusion filled me and I looked at the panther, "what?"

It seemed to smile at me. "Let the energy surround you and the tingling sensation of power consume your body. Allow it to sink into the earth and seek out those allied to the ones who attacked you. Destroy them." Glee filled its voice, "Do the bidding of Lady Amaterasu. Wipe them from the face of the earth, let their blood curdling screams fill the air."

Throughout this speech, I noticed Hidan slowly smile brightly. Oh, I could tell he liked this cat.

Kakuzu's strings unravelled from around me, and I looked at the panther, feeling hesitant. Then I heard a voice in my mind.

"_Do not be afraid my dragon."_

Recognition filled me, my forehead started prickling, and I closed my eyes. The smell of ozone filled the air, and I felt something buzz through my body. It was the same feeling I'd felt when I had... killed those Sound ninja.

I could feel the Akatsuki members watching me in shock, and slowly, I knelt to the ground, placing my palms upon the hard earth.

The ground shook as though there were an earthquake. Screams filled the air, and the electric sensation drained out of me.

I opened my eyes to see faint purple aura surrounding me, and watched as it slowly receded into my skin. The left over power rushed to the centre of my forehead; and then the vertigo hit me.

I collapsed the ground, dizziness washing over me and feeling extremely tired. I felt something brush against my hand, and I found myself eye-to-eye with the panther. It grinned at me.

Darkness filled my vision and I slipped into unconsciousness.

oOoOoOoOoOo

**Kakuzu's POV**

I sighed as I watched the two idiots fighting over the girl's unconscious body. Honestly, could they get anymore childish? They were supposed to be shinobi, and here they were fighting over who would carry her to Pein. This could not get any more irritating.

Questions buzzed around my mind. Who was she? How did she get here? What was with her strange power? It wasn't chakra she was using, I couldn't sense an ounce of chakra beyond that of a regular civilian within her body, yet she somehow managed to wipe out the entire invading force.

Then there was the strange mark on her forehead, and as I watched, the star receded into a simple diamond in the centre of her brow. Her attire was also strange – pants made of some unknown material, combat boots, a purple singlet, and a black leather jacket that appeared too big for her small frame. She was rather beautiful, with ghostly pale skin that appeared flawless and smooth. There were dark shadows around her eyes, showing continuous lack of sleep. On her bottom lip was a piercing, like Konan's. She had long black hair that went past her waist in a mass of curls and snares; she was short, around 5'4.

I felt something come beside me, and held back a flinch when I saw it was the cat. Something about it just didn't seem right

"Admiring her beauty I see," the cat said mockingly.

I glared at it, "You'd make a nice fur rug."

"And you wouldn't make a nice meal." It retaliated.

We glared at each other for a moment, and then Hidan started yelling.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT MY GOD YOU TRANSVESTITE?"

"You snivelling man-whore! I said your god was a-"

"Will you both shut up?" I snapped at them. I strode over to the girl and picked her up carefully, hoisting her over my shoulder. It was only then I realized how thin and light she was – she hardly weighed anything.

"Let's go," I growled at my partner and the bomber, and then walked towards Deidara's clay bird, which was perched on the roof of a nearby house.

Hidan huffed and Deidara glared before following me, the panther simply took one bound and landed on top of the bird, taking up most of the space.

It looked down at us and said, "step on my tail and I'll tear your head off."

It appeared it was coming with us. I certainly wasn't in the mood to argue with it.

oOoOoOoOoOo

**Tatsuya's POV**

I awoke to the feel of wind rushing over my skin and through my hair. I opened my eyes to see the night sky, the stars shining clearly, unlike at home where you could hardly see the sky at all. It was beautiful.

I was wrapped in something big and warm, and when I looked down at myself I saw I was covered in red and black fabric. An Akatsuki cloak.

I looked to my left to see where I was, but to my dismay and shock, I only saw a sleeping cat, who was purring like an engine. Then I heard a familiar voice.

"Do you think it'd wake up if we try to throw it off?"

"I hardly think that is necessary."

"Besides, I wanna see Kisame's face when he sees it, un."

"You guys are no fucking fun, seriously."

"You do know Hidan-kun, if you had tried that I would have clawed your eyes out."

Hidan remained silent and, shocked, I turned around to face him – surprised to see a rather masochistic smile on his face. But then I remembered it was Hidan.

"Hey, you're awake, un!" Deidara said happily.

It was only then I realized I was lying down on the back of a giant clay bird, which was currently flying hundreds of meters in the air. I couldn't really say I was shocked, but saying I wasn't surprised would be a lie. Wait a minute... that sentence contradicted itself. Meh.

"What's going on?" I groaned, struggling into a sitting position. "Where are you taking me?"

"To our main base of operation." Kakuzu said with an eyebrow raised at the cat, which was now lying on its side licking its paws and other sections of its body.

Hidan grimaced at it, "Fuck that's disturbing."

"What, un?" Was Deidara's response, and I noticed that his full attention was on me.

I looked away, a blush suffusing my cheeks. His curious gaze was making me fee hot; it wasn't a feeling I was used too.

Before my mind could go to anything else, Hidan's elbow slammed into Deidara's ribs and he yelled, "stop looking at her like that, you perverted fuck! And aren't you supposed to be flying this thing? I swear if you crash us I'll..."

Then they started squabbling.

Though the blush remained on my cheeks all the other sensations faded; I sighed. The cat purred in my ear, "What have you gotten yourself into?"

A cold shiver ran down my spine at the thought. This task would be a difficult one and I was going to be stuck with a bunch of – most likely – sex deprived criminals and a sadistic cat that could speak.

And then there was the fact that I had no clue as to what to do.

I was jostled out of my thoughts when something was roughly shoved onto my lap. My eyes widened – my bag! I had completely forgotten about it!

Sparing a small thanks in Kakuzu's direction (he was the one who had shoved it in my lap), I quickly opened it to see if everything was still in there and undamaged – if my laptop broke I would most probably ball my eyes out.

I gave a sigh of relief. Everything was fine.

And then Diedara said in a bored voice, "We're here."

oOoOoOoOoOo

We landed on a rock outcropping about an hour or so from the village. A large mountain range towered above us. The entrance to the 'Hideout' as I had been told was a giant tree – if I had been I my world, I guess it would have been a paper bark tree. But it was too big to be one, much too big, and the leaves, they were too green, even in the darkness of the night.

Kakuzu walked up to the tree, his hands forming signs that were too fast for the eye to see. He placed his palm to the trunk, and there was a flash of light; as the light faded, I saw that a doorway had appeared in the tree trunk.

The cat leapt through the doorway before Kakuzu could even register that it had moved.

With a sigh Kakuzu followed.

Deidara grabbed my arm, about to start dragging me into the tunnel (I only just realized I barely came up to his shoulders) but before we could even move, strong arms wrapped around my waist, and hot breath tickled my ear.

"I think it's time you come with me," Hidan murmured in a seductive voice as he hoisted me over his shoulder.

All I could do was gasp and blush to the max. I was also kind of disgusted because he was covered in blood.

As Hidan carried me through the doorway; I noticed his had touching my ass.

"No groping," I hissed and slapped him on the head, trying to push back the feelings and sensations that his touch brought me.

Why were guys paying attention to me all of a sudden? They never did back home.

But it's no longer my home, I realized. I would probably never go back.

But this thought did not bring me sorrow – on the contrary, I felt happier than I have felt for a long time.

I looked around me absently; obviously we were now underground, the walls were carved out of rock. It seems the door in the tree-trunk was a portal of some sort – probably we were inside the mountain range.

I couldn't help but smile when Deidara pushed past us, mumbling to Hidan, "Bastard."

"Deal with it, she-man."

The was a flash of blond hair and the next thing I knew I was in Deidara's arms, and he was running so fast down the hallway, I only realized it when we quickly passed Kakuzu and the cat. I could distinctly hear Hidan as he cursed at the top of his lungs.

"DEIDARA YOU TRANSVESTITE BASTARD! GET BACK HERE SO I CAN RIP YOU A NEW ONE!"

Kakuzu called out, "just go to Pein-sama's office. No detours!"

After a minute or so of running, we stopped in front of a stone door; Deidara hadn't even broken a sweat and I was being held tightly to his muscular chest, and with every breath I took his delicious scent washed over me. He smelt like spring flowers mixed with the untainted smell of fresh rain, as well as ash and a bit of blood – it was then I realised I was gasping for air and breathing straight down his neck.

Deidara's POV

'Oh god, oh god, not good! Why the fuck did I not put her down straight away?' I began scolding myself the moment I'd registered the girl's harsh breaths – the heat, oh god the heat – hit the sensitive skin of my lower neck, causing my southern region to stir.

But no amount of self inflicted abuse or control could stop my thoughts from drifting to the forbidden place in my mind where making a girl moan and scream is art at its finest; especially when it all ends in an explosion of hormones and pent up pressure.

Tatsuya POV

I felt his body tense and his grip on me tightened slightly, then in a swift movement my feet hit the ground. He lifted my chin so I was looking him straight in the eyes. "You shouldn't have done that," he breathed, his voice rough and before I could respond and ask what he meant, his lips crashed into mine - hard and lustful.

His tongue swept over my lips and I parted them with a gasp, the muscle entering my mouth and caressing against mine, taking control.

His hand slid up me, caressed my breast then lowered, touching between my legs to my now damp sex. He stroked my aroused crotch through my jeans and I caved, moaning through the kiss and my tongue battled his.

I wrapped my hand around his neck and twined my fingers through his golden hair. I pressed myself closer against him, moulding against him. His free hand lowered moving around my right leg to grasp my ass, pulling me up and even closer to his very obvious erection.

He then removed his caressing hand from my crotch to allow room for his member to rub into me. I moaned as I felt the hardness between my legs. Deidara's lips stretched into a smirk and his right hand cupped my chin, forcing our eyes to meet. The moment my lust clouded eyes met his, he thrust his hips; we moaned and both our lips collided in a kiss that screamed of desire.

I wasn't sure how long we were like that, but I was enjoying it too much to care. We were pulled out of our hormone induced haze by the sound of a laughing cat and a speechless Kakuzu.

The banker looked at us, disgust etched on his stitched face. "Maybe you should have taken a detour."

I jumped away from Deidara, my whole body aflame with mortification. What the hell had caused me to act like that? It felt as if I had lost control of my sanity. That was my first kiss, too...

And with a guy I hadn't even known for more than two hours, a guy who wasn't even supposed to be real.

"Come on," Kakuzu said, brushing the incident off like nothing had even happened. He strode passed us and knocked on the stone door, not even sparing us a glance.

"Where's Hidan, un?" Deidara asked, face calm and collected. Damn, what is it with everyone perfectly masking their emotions? I hate ninja.

"He was being a nuisance. I severed his leg tendons; he'll be fine in an hour or so." And then he opened the door, grabbed my arm and pushed me inside.

The first thing I noticed was that it was dark, and the second was that there were three people who were now staring at me silently.

I look around and locked eyes with rippled metallic grey.

_Tbc..._

**AN: Review please!**


	4. A New Member

_**AN:**_ dear readers… (peaks out from behind shield) sorry for the… big delay, but unfortunately the horrible thing know as life reared its ugly head. And it's called my pregnant sister. Here's the next chapter, sorry if it's so short, and enjoy!

_Chapter Three - Mikoto_

"Pein..." I whispered.

The man at the desk slowly rose to his feet, his face completely whipped of expression. Orange hair fell into his face, and the dim light gleamed off multiple facial piercings. His Rinnegan eyes never left mine.

"Kakuzu," the figurehead of the Akatsuki said. "What is this?"

I felt more than heard the bounty hunter come up behind me.

"Pein-sama," Kakuzu said and gave a brief bow. "We defended the village from the Sound shinobi as you ordered – they did not discover the entrance to the hideout. But the civilians suffered heavy losses. Nearly half on the houses were destroyed and as well as most of the shops, but luckily we evacuated the village in time and they suffered minimum casualties. Those who remained behind were helping in the defence of the village."

Pein nodded, but still, he watched me. He said, "And who is this? Why did you bring her here when she could obviously be a threat?"

I shivered at the obvious promise of agony behind the leader's calm words if Kakuzu did not reply quickly and truthfully.

"This is Tatsuya," Kakuzu said. "We do not know how she arrived at the village, nor do we know who she really is." I gulped nervously. "But I do believe that she could prove to be an asset to our ranks."

Pein raised an eyebrow, "Explain."

"She singlehandedly destroyed the entirety of the remaining enemy forces."

"Is that so?" Pein stated, still expressionless, but his voice gave away his curiosity.

"Yes, and she also managed to hold her own against Orochimaru's right hand, Kabuto Yakushi."

"I see. Go get the others and scour the village – give our dead a decent burial. As for the dead Sound shinobi, dispose of them as you will, I care not.

Kakuzu and Deidara left, and it was then I realized that Pein and I were not the only ones left. Konan sat on Pein's desk, her face blank as she appraised me. And I saw a man with an orange mask leaning on the wall to the left of me. Tobi, or in other words, the real leader, Madara Uchiha.

The panther sat on its haunches beside me, its tail curled around my legs in a comforting manner.

And then suddenly, the atmosphere changed.

The shadows behind the feline began to warp, and to my surprise its form enlarged, so now we stood side by side. She towered over me, like a mountain over a hill. And then she spoke, her words so sharp and piercing that it made all in the room become silent. She recounted all that had occurred from the moment I ran from home to the gods temple, and of her goddess Amaterasu's wish for Tatsuya to aid them, and finally to her being there before them.

Konan was silent, confusion and disbelief etched on her face. Madara was silent, but his body was shaking with what I realized to be repressed laughter. Then he said, in a ridiculously cheery voice, "Tobi likes Tatsuya-chan."

Pein folded his arms across his chest, and a smirk stretched across his lips.

"Welcome to the Akatsuki," he said. "I'm sure you will prove to be a great asset to our ranks."

A flash of blue appeared before me, and in my hand appeared an Akatsuki cloak. My right hand seemed to grow heavy, and as I watched a silver ring materialized on my middle finger, the kanji for dragon set on the purple gem.

Then the room went cold, and a shiver went up my spine. The monstrous cat beside me let out a low hiss of pleasure.

Everyone in the room gasped, or in Pein's case, raised both eyebrows, at what happened next. Something wrapped around my waist.

One moment, it was just a cat – an enormous, terrifying cat, granted – but still just a cat. Then its body shifted, the shadows themselves seemed to form around her. I blinked and rubbed my eyes.

Clutching my middle in a death grip, with a sunny-bright smile, was an eight year old girl.

"Hi!" it chirped. "I'm Mikoto! Amaterasu sent me to be your spirit guide!"

She had pale skin – not as pale as mine, but still pale. Long black hair with purple streaks fell past a petit waist, pointed ears with the likeness of a cat's - which were both covered in piercings - and her crimson eyes gazed up at me, filled with childish glee; but that didn't mask the aged intelligence I saw within them. Through those scarlet eyes, I could sense millennia of wisdom, pain and knowledge, and I knew that this was no child, and definitely not an animal.

I stood in shock, staring at the girl who clutched my waist in a death grip. All eyes locked on the girl, and as we watched, she seemed to age, becoming older. It was Mikoto who broke the silence, her sunny-bright smile still in place.

"Geeze, you lot really haven't seen a shape-shifter before have you? Although the technical term is werecat but still, you are aware right that I'm stark naked and in need of clothing - and that you're all as pale as Tatsuya right?" She rambled.

I twitched and Konan gasped in realisation as we understood what she had said. A young -_ naked _- girl was clutching my waist... A girl who claimed to be my spirit guide...

I opened my mouth and screamed, "Would someone tell me what the fuck is going on here?"

But my voice was drowned out by Konan's louder scream of, "Stark naked?"

Konan scrambled to her feet, ripped her cloak off and started wrapping it around the child, before the shocked Pein or the perverted Tobi could react; but it was too late, Pein ...blushed?

I stifled a laugh at the light pink dust that covered the Akatsuki figurehead's cheeks. Who'd thought that one of Pein's six paths can blush? I stopped thinking about it though, before my thoughts could go down a more perverted road.

Tobi was now a metre from the girl, appraising her closely, and I could have sworn I saw drool leaking from his mask. But that couldn't be right. I dismissed it as a trick of the light.

With Tobi - or Madara, whatever - being so close, I heard him murmur, "How intriguing..."

Mikoto looked up at me with those big, bright eyes, and I could help but smile slightly. The girl now appeared to be going through puberty, and as I watched she became taller, falling just short of my shoulders, and still she was growing.

Some part of me felt as if I had known her all my life - like she was an extension of me.

_"That's because I am a part of you, silly,"_ Came a sly voice in my mind, causing me to jump and look at the girl in front of me.

We were eye to eye now, and I started glaring, "what the hell are you doing in my head?'

Mikoto only gave a mischievous smile, and everyone else stared. "Tatsuya," the cat-girl said softly. "You have been granted a great gift. You know what you must do with it." Her eyes darted to Madara and Pein, and then back to me. "And you know what will happen if you don't succeed."

My eyes widened. I knew extremely well what would happen if I didn't interfere - so many people will needlessly die, and eventually, things will reach a climax, and what will happen afterwards... there will be no 'heroes' left in the world to stop it.

I snapped out of my trance when Mikoto said loudly, "Well duh, anyone could've told you that."

Did I mention the sarcasm?

"Well," Pein said before I could retort. "It appears we have received two new Akatsuki members." He closed his eyes, a look of contemplation on his face "Tobi-" He asked "what do you think?"

Ther was silence for a moment, with the tall figure just staring at us as if we were food at a banquete. And he was a hungry attendee. A shiver went down my sine, when I felt his gaze bore into me.

"Tobi thinks the future is going to be interesting."

**AN**: It good? I'll try my best to update quickly, but enjoy!

Review!


	5. Read Please

This apologies goes to all who have read an enjoyed the story so far.

The hate and anger I have towards myself for not being able to at least give and you ending infuriates me an I will fully understand if u choose to stop reading, more like waiting for the story.

I am truly sorry, I wish I was able to meet my own promised deadlines.

When I am in the correct headspace, and more mature and capable of finishing this story I will try and surprise you all with a huge up date.

Again my apologies, I with now stand behind a steal wall and allow the objects you so choose to be thrown.

Thank you for reading the story shall continue.


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